Goodbye
by AjAwkwardsauce
Summary: Tori leaves Hollywood Arts and Jade finds out a little too late.


**Tumblr Request: Tori leaves Hollywood Arts and Jade is reflecting on how her absence changed everyone, and how it changed her?**

**I took some liberties with this request and I am overall happy about how this turned out. **

I was late to school that day. I remember, I woke up at seven-forty because my alarm didn't go off. I took a five minute shower and skipped breakfast but I still ended up arriving at Hollywood Arts at eight-thirty-seven. I guess I really shouldn't have stopped to get coffee on the way.

"You need to get here on time, Jade." Lane told me as he held out a slip of paper.

"Yeah, whatever, it's not like I got here late on purpose." I grabbed the detention and stuffed it into my pocket.

"It's still first period!" He shouted as I walked out.

"I know." I grumbled and kicked the door behind me. I glanced at my locker before deciding I didn't need anything from it and I headed straight to Sikowitz's class. I slid into my usual seat at the back of the room, the one beside Beck. He raised an eyebrow at me and I shook my head. I didn't want to answer his questions. Because I was late, class ended a few minutes later and I bounded out of the room as fast as I could. It wasn't that I didn't want to talk to Beck, per se; I just didn't have anything to say to him.

That day wasn't very eventful until lunch. When I sat down at the table we always sit at, Andre and Cat were already there and they were having a very heated discussion about carrots. Beck showed up a few minutes later, sat down on my hip and kissed my cheek. I slid to the very edge of the bench and tried to ignore him. Robbie was arguing with his stupid puppet when he sat down across from me at the table. I stabbed at my lettuce for a little before noticing that Miss I've-Got-Rays-of-Sunshine-Coming-Out-of-my-Ass wasn't at our table.

"Where's Vega?" I asked. Beck leaned back and turned his head to look behind him.

"Over there, flirting with Holden." He pointed towards Trina.

"Ugh, who cares, I meant Tori." I clarified rolling my eyes. Beck faced me again and eyed me with confusion.

"Jade, Tori's last day was last week." He said reaching out and picking up a fry. My plastic fork froze on its way to my mouth and I dropped it back into my salad.

"What?" I snapped.

"Yeah, she's going to some school for singing in New York." Cat joined into our conversation.

"She was going to a perfectly fine school for singing right here at HA." I responded.

"Jeez, I, for one, thought you would be happy to know that you didn't have to see her again. She's leaving for New York in two days." Andre reached out for a fry as well.

"Hey! Those are mine!" Robbie snatched his tray away from thieving hands.

"Yeah, I am glad she's gone." I tried to sound convincing but I know my voice fell flat.

Tori's been a constant light in our group for about three years now. She blew into our lives a whirlwind of smiles and happiness. She pulled our mismatched group of friends even closer together. We all liked her. In fact, I think we all loved her.

I loved her. Even if I didn't tell her. Even if I made it seem like I hated her.

I stood up and dumped what was left of my lank lettuce into the garbage and stalked off back into the school. I went straight to my locker to change my books and that was when I realize that Tori's locker was bare. The 'Make it Shine' locker door was gone and it had been replaced with a grey one. I stared at it from my locker. She was gone? How did I not know? Why didn't she tell me?

I slammed my locker shut and angrily walked out the front doors of Hollywood Arts. I was planning on driving to blow off steam, but unsurprisingly, I ended up at the Vega's residence. I figured I might as well confront her while I was there so I stomped up to her front door and pounded on the heavy wood. It took her a few minutes to open the door and by the time she did, I was fuming.

"Jade?" She sounded frightened. Good.

"No." I pushed past her and turned around to face her. I crossed my arms over my chest and pulled them against my ribs to keep myself from exploding.

"No!" I repeated more firmly.

"What?" She closed the door and leaned against it.

"You can't leave." I told her.

"Jade, I was going to tell you."

"That what? You were leaving me? You were leaving all of us? I just start getting close to you; I start falling for you, and you _leave_." I glared. "You're just like everyone else. You like to think you're not. But you are." I hissed. Her arms fluttered as if she were going to reach for me and I stepped back, even though I was already far from arms reach from her.

"I'm sorry." Her head hung forward and it felt fake.

"No you're not." I growled. She looked up and met my eyes with defiance.

"You're right. I'm not sorry that this wonderful opportunity came up for me. I'm not sorry that I have a great chance in life." She sighed.

"However, I am sorry that I have to leave. I love you, Jade, but you had to keep me a secret. I don't want to be ashamed about who I love." She glowered at me, I staggered backwards and my legs hit her couch. I collapsed onto the cushion and it felt as if it was swallowing me.

"I'm not ashamed. I'm afraid." I whispered.

"There was no reason to be." She told me. She walked over until she stood directly in front of me and she grabbed my hand in hers.

"Don't leave me." I pleaded.

She shook her head and I knew it was goodbye.


End file.
